Awards and Recognition

ESD Glossary

A material with low electrical resistance, (a conductor), that will safely attract an electrical charge to ground. Examples of conductors are water, copper, aluminum and carbon. Practical examples of conductors are a lightning rod and a copper wire.

ESD Flooring Knowledge and Information

Static Control Flooring: Matching Products and Environments Through Evidence-Based Design

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) is a well-documented, invisible threat to electronic parts, systems, and mission-critical operations. And the problem is intensifying as electronic devices are getting smaller, reducing the room for on-chip protection and increasing the vulnerability to ESD. Today, more environments are at risk if they don't have anti-static, "fault-tolerant" flooring that performs regardless of variables such as footwear, maintenance, and humidity. While specifying any floor presents technical challenges and potential exposure to the specifier, this is especially true in environments where static control is necessary. But proper specification, product selection, and installation can be confusing without the necessary technical tools. Unfortunately, if flooring specs don't address unique environmental conditions or meet the latest standards, you risk damage to equipment, product returns, facility downtime, communication errors, and liability. Fortunately, you can eliminate the usual guesswork and match the right product to the right environment by applying evidence-based design principles.

It starts with assessing your specific conditions and understanding the impact of footwear on the performance of all static-control floors.
It starts with determining how flooring and footwear must work together. The information found here can help you find tailor-made solutions that best meet your flooring needs.

ESD Flooring for Dummies

It depends on your application and the specific standard you should be referencing....They are not all the same. You must use "conductive flooring" when handling explosives. You should never use conductive flooring in an FAA flight tower or 911 call center.

For centuries humans assumed the Earth marked the center of the universe. Then Copernicus came along, refused to accept this "common knowledge," and completely changed our understanding of the situation.As children we are taught to accept that science is a body of facts based on well-researched evidence. We are not to question the Earth's place in the universe, the assertion that what goes up must come down. They are the irrefutable truisms of our existence....

Inc. 500/5000's Identifies Fastest-Growing CompaniesWATERTOWN, MA. -- Staticworx Inc., North America’s leading producer of anti-static flooring products, has once again made Inc. Magazine’s list of the fastest- growing privately held companies in the United States. Since 1982, Inc. Magazine has honored businesses with accolades and offered encouragement to budding entrepreneurs in equal parts, but the 500/5000 list and its corresponding annual conference have become its best-known and most celebrated endeavor. "Fast growth at any ...

Often, the most challenging and anxiety-inducing decisions buyers encounter in the course of creating a world-class electrostatic discharge (ESD) program involve the selection of the ESD floor. Unlike other components in the program, the installation of static control flooring represents a permanent capital investment, with costs of 1 1/2 to 2 times those of a standard non-ESD floor. Because the static control floor affects every aspect of the organization—from performance to image—in most cases, finding ...

Which ohms resistance rating is correct for grounded static control flooring used in end user operational* equipment, communication and data storage environments? This is a question that many have found difficult to answer.Much of the confusion has been caused by the misapplication of ESD flooring standards as utilized in ESD protected areas (also known as EPAs) by the electronics manufacturing and explosives handling industries. Other industries, such as telecommunications and data centers, adher to their own principles of ...

Recent static shocks caused by inserting charged earbuds into a person’s ear have prompted Apple Support to post a warning (Article: TS2729). There have apparently been numerous complaints about people getting shocks while listening to their ipod or iphone.At first glance, it might seem that Apple’s equipment is the culprit−this writer believes that is highly unlikely. Here’s why: Static is the result of two surfaces rubbing against each other. Static discharge occurs whenever a charged material contacts a material ...

Over the last few years, the U.S., Canada and the EU have banned the use of phthalates, such as DEHP, di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (also known as DOP), in children’s toys. This blogger believes that it is equally important to specify phthalate-free and PVC-free ESD flooring as well. To avoid SICK Building Syndrome, we recommend specifying DOP-free flooring that will not outgas VOCs and that passes California 1350 indoor air quality testing. Are Plasticizers the New Asbestos? Phthalates in Some ESD Vinyl Tile May Pose Health Risk...

Staticworx staff recently fielded a call from an installer who was encountering bubbles in a flooring installation. Here's an outline of problems and causes that might help others.Scenario #1: No Adhesive Bond to ConcreteFindingsThe bubble has been cut open to reveal that the adhesive did not bond to the concrete. Adhesive is on the back of the flooring but there is little to none on the surface of the concrete.Cause(s)Contamination of the concrete or moisture may ...

That’s a big deal; workers in data centers, call centers and control rooms don’t wear special shoes. Therefore, a properly specified static free floor needs to perform regardless of the type of footwear worn.A recent study at MIT Lincoln Laboratories revealed that EC rubber inhibits static 10 times more effectively than other static control flooring options−regardless of footwear. The study determined that subjects wearing standard “street shoes” will not generate more than 0....

Random static discharge will wreak havoc inside your call center--lost or corrupted data, dropped calls, PC lookup, and blown headsets are only a few problems that can be caused by static.The most important factors to consider when choosing data center flooring are required maintenance and the type of footwear people will wear when they walk on the floor. Flooring selection must prevent static regardless of shoe sole composition worn in the workplace. Rubber ESD flooring is most appropriate ...